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Best Drinks for Healthy Skin

Looking after you skin requires a good health and beauty routine. We look at some of the drinks that can help you make your skin look radiant and healthy, and also mention some that can damage your skin too.

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Water is the single most important element for the integrity of your cells. If you use moisturisers on your skin on the outside, then drinking water will moisturise your skin from the inside outwards.

The body absorbs about four ounces of water every ten minutes, therefore, water is very essential to help maintain the elasticity and suppleness of your skin and helps prevent dryness.

Mineral bottled water is the best water but to save money on bottled water, you can purify it at home using a water purifier.

For those who find the taste of water boring perhaps, try and add fresh mint leaves, slices of strawberry, apple, lemon, or lime to a jug of water. Keep this “fruit water” in the fridge and have this great tasting water chilled and ready for you to drink.

If you are not a fan of cold water, try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime to normal temperature water.

Adding the juice of one lemon to warm water taken in the morning on an empty stomach, can act as a fantastic liver detoxifier.

The best way to know if you are drinking enough water is to look at your urine. It should be a very light shade of yellow or pale white. If it is darker, definitely drink more water.

Green Tea

Green tea is made from leaves which are not fermented.

Therefore, it is said to have the highest level of polyphenols (also known as flavonoids), which are chemical compounds that produce pigment and photo protection, acting as a defence mechanism against harmful environmental conditions.

As well as drinking benefits, black tea works very well when applied to skin.

Its strong antioxidants along with vitamins E and C fight the free radicals that can cause premature aging.

The tea is also a great astringent that will help with puffy eyes, spots and blemishes, as well as toning lips, perking up the complexion, highlighting hair, and making our feet smell sweet.

Simply use a warm teabag on the skin for most of these.

Oolong Tea

Oolong tea means “black dragon tea” and is one of the most highly consumed teas served in traditional Chinese restaurants. It is available from most Chinese supermarkets.

Oolong tea is made from the same plant from which green tea is processed, but oolong tea is more oxidised than green tea.

Oolong is a rich polyphenol tea which can help prevent several skin problems including eczema and wrinkles.

Clinical trials of oolong tea have confirmed that a regular intake of tea, two times a day for three months at least, is effective in enhancing Superoxide dismutase (SOD) within the body, which combats radical damage to skin.

Trials also confirmed that oolong is very effective in delaying the appearance of signs of ageing, such as dark spots and wrinkles.

It strengthens the effect of Copper-Zinc-SOD, which acts favourably within the cutaneous cells of the skin.

Juices

These are juices not made from concentrate but made from real vegetable and fruit juices.

Drinking fruit and vegetable juices can help reverse the effects of harmful free radicals in the body and skin.

Juices which are made from 100% of the fruit or vegetable, are full of beneficial vitamins for the skin and body.

Whilst tasting sweet or tangy, they can have the power of cleansing out the bad toxins in your system.

You can make the juices yourself or buy them pre-made. There are huge choices of juices available. But try and drink those high in antioxidants and low in sugar.

Research suggests that the darker the juice, the more potent its effect.

Therefore, pomegranate or blueberry juice are said to have a high level of antioxidants which provide many health benefits, especially for skin.

The water substance within these fruits or vegetables – their “juice” in essence, provides a useful secondary source of natural hydration for the body.

You can get the juices from fruit if you make smoothies, and to top it up add juice to the smoothie from a carton instead of milk.

Another great drink for the skin can be made using mineral water, fresh vegetables, and a Vitamin C capsule.

Place the vegetables into a blender and mix them on medium speed until they are fully liquefied. Then, pour into a glass and add the contents of the vitamin capsule. Mix it up and enjoy.

Beauty Drinks

There are many “Beauty Drinks” designed to help you look after your skin and complexion.

Although the main content is natural water for most of them, they do have specific minerals and ingredients which aim to promote healthier skin.

They might be pricey but they can help. Here are some examples of beauty drinks:

SIP – this drink which is 100% natural comes different flavours such as Elderflower, Lemon-grass and Ginger, Mango, and Strawberry and Mint. Each drink keeps you and your skin completely hydrated. They contain a great source of vitamins that aim to help your hair, nails, and especially skin. The ingredients include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Violet Extract, Rose Petal and White Tea Tincture, which all are important for good skin.

Fushi – this drink comes in different flavours including Valerian and Passion Flower, Horsetail and Burdock, Milk Thistle and Dandelion and Green Tea & Bilberry. It is a formulation that addresses hormonal balance, circulation and liver function which affect skin, hair and nails. They contain a great range of detoxifying ingredients aimed to cleanse the body and promote better skin.

Borba Skin Balance Water Replenishing – a drink which adds moisture and is great during the summer to keeps you fully hydrated. The drink includes papaya, guava, 4 essential B vitamins, and ingredients from a Lychee fruit. This drink would be good for someone with dry skin or acne blemishes.

Drinks to Avoid

Now having covered the best drinks for skin, there are drinks which you should avoid or take in moderation to promote healthier skin. These include:

Coffee – high levels of caffeine and sugar can cause oily spots and rob your body of moisture. Therefore, try decaffeinated varieties or the many teas available instead.

Alcohol – spirits and alcohol drinks can dehydrate your skin, especially after over indulging. Many drinks, such as cocktails, daiquiris and margaritas, also tend to contain lots of sugar.

Pop and Soda – this includes excessive amounts of Red Bull and similar drinks. Getting your eight glasses a day from soda can do damage to your skin. The sugar and artificial elements make it more difficult for your body to hydrate. So, avoid them at all costs for better skin.

Results are always about trying things to see if they can help, so you will need to try to see which drinks aid your skin most.

However, one thing is for sure, always drink as much water as you can and keep dehydrated.

Madhu is a foodie at heart. Being a vegetarian she loves to discover new and old dishes that are healthy and above all tasty! Her motto is George Bernard Shaw's quote 'There is no love sincerer than the love of food.'